


He falls.

by babyeblue_bb



Category: One Piece
Genre: Aftermath, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Blood, Fights, Gen, Pre-Time Skip, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22071487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyeblue_bb/pseuds/babyeblue_bb
Summary: But right now, this is different. He feels weak, he feels like he’s losing his remaining strength as seconds pass. Does the gaping wound on his stomach have something to do with it…?(or, how Luffy tries to deal with the aftermath of another rough fight.)
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy & Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates
Comments: 2
Kudos: 67





	He falls.

**Author's Note:**

> ok so. it's been something like six or seven years since I've stopped watching One Piece. it wasn't my thing anymore and, well, I was watching the anime on TV and they stopped broadcasting it so, yeah. and, some days ago, I was like "wow I should totally read it again!" and that's how I read 250 chapters of One Piece in three days.
> 
> yeah. anyway. looking at how Luffy is always so reckless had me writing this. so this is set somewhere between Alabasta and Skypiea, I guess. Pre-timeskip.
> 
> just a little thing: english isn't my first language and this is the first time I am writing a whole text in english (except works for school). so I'm a little nervous, I can't help but think there are so many errors!! I hope you still enjoy it anyway... ):

Once again, the straw-hat crew crossed roads with enemies.The log pose guided them to another island and they blindly went there, without thinking much about it. An island which, at first, didn’t seem to have anything special. However, the bear trap closed right under their feet; was it an ambush from the far beginning or just lack of luck?  
Marine, pirates? Bounty hunters?  
  
  
Luffy doesn’t even remember. And it doesn’t matter anyway.  
As usual, he quickly went ahead, without taking the time to think, when they _dared_ attack his shipmates. As usual, it was a long and tiring fight; the man he fought was powerful and cunning, with his demon-fruit abilities. As usual, Luffy suffered many wounds, way too many wounds.  
  
  
As usual, he won.  
  
  
Myriad of wounds scatter across his body, blood staining his skin and his clothes; and he can’t think straight because of the overwhelming pain (but does he actually need to think?). There is only one thing he’s confident of: he’s not allowed to close his eyes. He’s not allowed to lie down. Not before he finds his crew again.  
He wanders through ravaged streets from his fight. Burst walls, pieces of rock under his feet, shattered ground. Had he really done this…? His mind is struggling to remember. This is bad. Luffy always had this – bad – habit of overdoing it, blinded by his anger, during his fights. And the outcome is that, setting aside his victories, he almost always ends up in a pretty bad shape, but he learned to ignore the pain. Until he doesn’t feel it anymore.  
But right now, this is different. He feels weak, he feels like he’s losing his remaining strength as seconds pass.  
  
  
  
Does the gaping wound on his stomach have something to do with it…?  
  
  
  
He squeezes his hand against the injury, he feels blood running between his fingers and Luffy understands that he’d better find his crew, _quickly_. Despite all that, he doesn’t seem worried – not worried about himself, either way. Because he knows he will make it through, as always.  
Because he knows his crew will find him, as always.  
Because he knows he is _stronger than that_. It’s just a matter of time.  
(Even if doubts are starting to sprout in his mind.  
Did he ever feel that _exhausted_ after a fight…?)  
  
  
His vision is getting more and more blurry. He heavily wants to sleep, right now, right there. But angry red alarms in his mind switch on one by one and they are screaming him that if he stops now, this is the end. This is the end for him. This would be the same as giving up.  
And Luffy _does not give up_. Hot and sticky blood drops on the ground – whoever who would want to track him down could easily follow the droplets of blood. His head is spinning and his pulse is getting faster – or is it getting slower? He can’t even tell, his heart is throbbing hard in his ears, almost like it wanted to be free from his body.  
  
  
He doesn’t feel his hands anymore.  
  
  
“Luffy!”  
  
  
Ah. Better late than never.  
  
  
“Luffy!”  
  
  
Numerous voices shout, almost becoming a single and only one. Luffy doesn’t need to lift his head up to know that his crew is finally here, safe and sound, although somewhat injured by their own fights. But they are alive. And that’s all that matters. ( _That’s all that matters to him_.)  
They rush to him – he almost can’t hear their running footsteps. But he still can see the widened eyes of Chopper, horrified to see his awful bad shape. Billions of questions hustle in the doctor’s mind but none of them crosses his lips. There’s probably no time to talk, given how much blood their captain is losing.  
They are all there. His shipmates, his friends, the ones he cares the most about. The ones he wouldn’t hesitate a second to die for.  
  
  
  
Finally, relieved, Luffy falls.  
He falls, he falls, he falls.  
  
  
  
Pairs of arms extend out to catch him.  
  
  
  
And he smiles, the fool.


End file.
